Mechanical pencil



MECHANICAL PENCIL Original'Filed Feb. 25, 1936 B W 61mm" y Patented Jan. 14, 1941 UNITED STATES 2,228,348 MECHANICAL PENCIL Arthur S. Dysart, Onoville, N. Y.

Application February 25, 1936, Serial No. 65,600. Renewed May 23, 1939 8 Claims.

This invention relates to pencils and particularly to an improved mechanical pencil of the magazine type.

More particularly the invention relates to feed- 6 ing mechanism for successively advancing lengths of leads from a magazine within the barrel of the pencil successively to their operative or writing position and to adjust the lengths of lead outwardly as they become worn during use.

A primary object of the invention is to provide obliquely disposed resilient feeding members in the form of rotatably mounted rollers; these rollers being disposed within the barrel in resilient contact with the inner surface of the barrel, and 15 centrally gripping the lead between them so that rotation of the barrel relative to the supporting member for the rollers will force the lead axially in a direction dependent upon the direction of rotation of the barrel.

A feature of importance and by which the axial movement of the lead is accomplished is the provision of three resilient members in the form of rollers within the pencil bodyadapted to centrally engage the lead, these rollers being mounted for rotation obliquely within an end portion of the pencil and to extend obliquely within and in contact with the barrel of the pencil so that by rotating the barrel the rollers will be simultaneously rotated and revolved by frictional 30 contact with the inner surface of the barrel.

A further object of the invention is to provide the feeding rollers of resilient material such as partially vulcanized rubber made in the form of a sleeve or tube and preferably mounted upon a 35 closely wound helical coil of wire so that the rollers may be rotatably mounted upon a central support.

Another object of the invention is to provide an elongated eraser extending within the barrel 0 of the pencil and adapted to be advanced positively as it becomes worn away duringuse, the

feeding being effected by rotation of the eraser within the barrel.

More generally it is a primary object of the 45 invention to provide an attractive pencil of con- I ventional and convenient size adapted to contain a maximum amount of leads forwriting and an ample amount of erasing material, these supplies being housed Within the pencil and ready at all 50 times to be immediately advanced into operative writing or erasing position.

And finally it is an object of the invention to provide a simple, convenient and easily operated and constructed feeding mechanism for the ,ll writing and erasing materials of a mechanical pencil which will not ative. 1

With the above and otherobjectsin ,view my invention may include the features of construction and operation set forth? in the following 6 specification and illustrated in the following drawing.

In the accompanying drawing annexed hereto and forming a part of this specification, I have shown my invention embodied'in complete me- 10 chanical magazine pencils with erasers, both the lead and the erasers being adapted to be fed axially as they become worn; but it will be understood that the invention can be otherwise embodied and that the drawing is not to be con-. 15

strued as defining or limiting the scope of the invention, the claims appended to this specification being relied upon for that purpose.-

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a complete outside view of a 13811611520 constructed according to the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the lead feeding mechanism forming a part of my invention.

Fig. 3 is a corresponding sectional view ofthe; eraser end of the pencil and the eraser feeding mechanism.

Fig. 4 is a cross sectional view taken upon the plane of line 44 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a cross sectional view taken upon the. plane of line 5-5 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a longitudinal or side view of one of the lead feeding members partly in section and being shown mounted upon its central supporting pin. 1

Fig. '7 is an outside view of a helical spring through which the length of lead passes after being advanced to a point beyond the feeding members.

Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig.2 but showing a modified form of the barrel and lead feeding mechanism.

Fig. 9 is a. view similar to Fig. 3 but showing a modified form of the eraser.

Fig. 10 is an end view of the Fig. 9 and Fig. 11 is a side view partly in section of the eraser cap shown in Fig. 9.

Briefly, and in its preferred aspect, my invention may include the following principal parts, first, a barrel in which may be placed a number of lengths of lead, and into which may extend also an elongated eraser; second, a sleeve or end portion rotatably and detachably secured rela tive to the barrel and through which the lengths readily be rendered inoperparts shown in 45 of lead extend to their writing position; third, a group of rollers rotatably mounted on said sleeve or end portion and resiliently engaging the inside surface of the barrel; fourth, guiding means for a length of lead from the magazine to the forward end of the pencil so that the lead may pass centrally through the barrel and through the group of rollers; fifth, a resilient member engaging and frictionally retaining a length of lead within the end portion after passing the feeding rollers; sixth, an eraser threadedly mounted within an end of the barrel, and seventh, a cap enclosing the eraser and adapted to rotate and advance the eraser as it becomesworn.

Referring more in detail to the figures of the drawing and first to Figs. 1, 2 and 3, I showthe pencil as having a pointed end portion II] and an elongated cylindrical barrel portionI I. Preferably and as shown the rearward portion I2 of the pointed end portion III is cylindrical and fits detachably in any suitable manner over the forward end ofthe barrel I I. The outer surface ofthis rearward portion I2 may be knurled to l facilitate operation of the feeding mechanism by rotating the forward end of the pencil relamember I3 having a central axial hole therethrough for the passage of the lead Id. This member I3 at its forward end is provided with screw threads I5 over which may bethreaded the point ortip Italsoboredaxially for the lead. Within this pointor tip lli is provided a recess housing a closely coiled spring I! adapted to surround' the lea'd I4. Fig. '7 shows this spring I? in its unrestrained condition and to be bent laterally'at one end so that when mounted in positionwithin the point IIi'the spring I! will bend laterally and frictionally engage against the side of the lead I4 to prevent a shortend of a length of lead from dropping from the-point l6.

'Withinthe member I3 are secured the forward ends of axis wires or supporting rods I8 for thefeed r ollers IS. The rearward ends of these rods I8 are made fast Within a member 20, freely rotatable within the barrel I I. Rollers I9, three of which may preferably be used, are made up ofrubber partially vulcanized and non oxidizing-so that their resilience may be main- 'tained indefinitely. Directly engaging the wires or rods I8 and within the rollers I9 are helically wound coils 2I forming parts of the rollers I9 and over which maybe moulded or pressed the rubber portion in the form of a tube. Washers or plates 22 at opposite ends of the rollers I 9 plates 22, friction of the rollers I9 upon the axis wires I8 is reduced to aminimum. I

The. rollers I9 are not disposed parallelly to thelaxis of the-members Ill and II forming the principal parts of the pencil but are disposed obliquely orhelically thereto as indicated. Their diameters are such that they will frictionally -enga'ge-the inner wall of the barrel II and be compressed around and firmly grip against the for an elongated eraser 2G to be inserted.

' feeding rollers I9.

lead I4, centrally disposed relative to the rollers I9. This frictional engagement of the rollers I9 against the lead I4 serves to hold the lead against slippage rearwardly during operation. By rotating the barrel II relative to the front end Ill and the member I3 there will be a small axial component of the rotation of the rollers I9 so that the lead I4 will be slowly advanced or retracted, depending upon the direction of rotation of the barrel I I. By means of this rotation of the barrel II the rollers I9 will not only be rotated upon their axes but there will also be a revolving motion of the rollers I9 within the barrel II against which they press sufficiently to effect this motion of the lead.

Within the barrel in rear of the member 2!] is an open or hollow space forming a magazine within which may be placed a number of lengths of lead M. Member 20 is dished on its rearward face and is provided with a central hole through which ajlength of lead, I4 may pass freely from the magazine Within barrel II to the space between the feeding rollers I9. Successivelyas one length of lead is cohsumed another lead may be advanced as 'by gravity to the opening within member 20 so that 'it will be gripped by the rollers I9.

To 'load thelengths of lead M within the magazine it is only necessary to separate the barrel II from the-end portion I9 and after filling the;..

magazine the end portion It may be replaced with thefeedrollers iii and member 28 extending within the barrel.

"Forced within the barrel II and forming the rear wall of the magazine for the leads is a disk '25. In rear of this disk 25 is ample space In Fig. 3 of the drawing is shown a narrow helical ridge forming a screw thread 21, two or three convolutions of this screw thread only being:

required. The inwardly bent edge of -.a narrow helically wound strip may be employed to form this screw thread as shown in Fig. 3. Engaging this screw thread 27 is the eraser 26 there preferably being a narrow helical recess cut into the surface of the eraser so that by rotation the eraserZG may first be inserted within the barrel I Land thereafterthreaded outwardas the eraser becomes worn away during use.

In the form-of the invention shown in Fig. 3

the eraser is hexangular in cross section and 154611010566. within a removable cap or head member 28fitting over the end of barrel I I and having a cross section on a portion of its inner surface I closely fitting the hexangular form of the eraser.-

By rotating the member 28 relative to the barrel II the eraser 26 may be fed outwardly from the barrel I I as it may be needed.

In Figs. 9, l0 and 11 is shown a modified form of the eraser end of the pencil. eraser. 3B is cylindrical and is threaded into the same form of screw threads 21 as shown in Fig.

3. In order to thread the eraser 3i} outwardly the cap member 30 is provided with a tongue extending centrally within its interior and adapted.

when in position to enter a narrow opening ex tending longitudinally within the eraser. The cap member 3! may therefore be used when in position upon the barrel to rotate the eraser and thus feed the eraser outward.

In Fig. 8 there is shown a modified form of barrel construction and means for mounting the In this form of the invention the principal parts of the pencil may be two sleeves-the outer one having a point 36 formed In this form the,

thereon through which a lead l4 may extend to writing position. Within this pointed end of the sleeve there may be mounted a helical spring 31 similar in form and operation to spring 11.

The feeding rollers I9 instead of being mounted for rotation in a member l3 secured to the end portion II] are mounted for rotation upon wires or rods the ends of which are secured in spaced members 39 and 49. Member is secured to the end of a tube 4i rotatable within the outer tube or shell 35. The member 39 is freely rotatable within the tapered portion of the sleeve or shell 35. Rollers l9 engage the inner surface of the shell 35 and by rotation of the inner shell 4 relative to this outer shell 35 will be rotated and revolved similarly to the form of the invention shown in Fig. 2.

I claim as my invention:

1. A mechanical pencil comprising in combination a barrel, an end portion rotatable relative thereto and feeding mechanism operatively connected to said end portion and extending into said barrel, said feeding mechanism including a plurality of helically disposed rollers adapted to centrally grip a lead and to rotatably engage the inner surface of said barrel.

2. A mechanical pencil comprising in combination a barrel, an end portion rotatable relative thereto, rollers rotatably mounted in said end portion and disposed obliquely within said barrel, a lead centrally gripped by said rollers, whereby when said barrel is rotated relative to said end portion the lead will be axially advanced.

3. A mechanical pencil comprising in combination, a barrel forming a magazine for leads, an end portion rotatable relative thereto supporting feed mechanism for advancing said lead axially within the barrel, guiding means for said lead from said barrel to the point of said end portion, and a group of members within said end port-ion adapted to centrally and resiliently engage said lead, whereby rotation of said end portion relative to said barrel will axially advance said lead.

4. A mechanical pencil comprising in combination a barrel, an end portion rotatable relative thereto and detachably connected adjacent one end thereof, rollers obliquely disposed within and engaging said barrel and rotatably secured at one end within said end portion whereby rotation of said barrel relative to said end portion will rotate and revolve said rollers to axially adjacent a lead within the barrel, and means to guide said lead from said magazine to the end of said end portion.

5. A mechanical pencil comprising in combination, a barrel, a sleeve rotatably mounted within said barrel, feeding mechanism operatively connected to said inner sleeve and frictionally engaging said barrel, and guiding means for a lead from said feeding mechanism to its writing po sition, said feeding mechanism including a group of rotatable members centrally gripping a lead and supporting said lead in alignment with said guiding means and axially of said barrel.

6. A mechanical pencil comprising in combination, a barrel, a feed actuating member rotatable relative thereto, rollers on said feed actuating member resiliently engaging a lead centrally between them and contacting with the inner surface of said barrel, whereby relative rotation of said actuating member and barrel will advance said leads axially.

7. A mechanical pencil comprising in combination, a barrel, an end portion rotatable relative thereto, feeding means for leads within said barrel operatively connected tosaid end portion and rotatable with rotation of said barrel relative to said end portion, said feeding mechanism including rotatable symmetrically disposed compressible members centrally gripping a length of lead and engaging the inner wall of said end portion.

8. A mechanical pencil comprising in combination, a barrel, feeding mechanism for leads within said barrel relatively rotatable thereto and externally operated, means for rotating said mechanism relative to said barrel, said feeding mechanism including a plurality of helically disposed rollers adapted to centrally grip said lead and to rotatably engage the inner surface of said barrel.

ARTHUR S. DYSART. 

